Montco prosecutor Kevin Steele receives national honor

NORRISTOWN — Each day as he dresses for work, Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Steele makes sure he’s wearing a precious reminder of his important duty.

The dark, green band that adorns his left wrist reads, “David Grove 11-11-2010.”

“I wear it all the time. It’s a reminder of the murder of a law enforcement officer and it’s something that we all have to think about with the dangers that police face every day. There is a certain duty and a responsibility that we have to protect the protectors,” Steele, his solemn voice tinged with reverence, said as his fingers traced the band that has become a gesture of respect.

“I don’t take it off. I did two triathlons with it on,” added Steele, 46, a career prosecutor.

Advertisement

Grove, 31, a Pennsylvania Wildlife Conservation officer, was killed in the line of duty about 10:30 p.m. Nov. 11, 2010, just outside Gettysburg in Adams County. It was Steele, known for his prosecutorial prowess, who was called upon by Adams County District Attorney Shawn C. Wagner to assist with the capital prosecution last year of Grove’s killer, Christopher Johnson.

Johnson, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder on Oct. 2, 2012, and was sentenced to death two days later after a nine-day trial in Adams County.

On Wednesday, Steele and Wagner traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive the 2012-13 Award for Outstanding Trial Advocacy in Capital Litigation presented by the Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation, for their leadership and multi-jurisdictional collaboration that led to a successful prosecution.

“I was surprised with the honor. It was a complete surprise to me,” Steele, District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman’s second-in-command since 2008, said humbly.

“Part of these cases is speaking for someone who has been silenced by a murderer. It was an opportunity to give the family some closure and to see that justice was done,” Steele added.

In the months following Johnson’s apprehension, Wagner sought the assistance of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office because of its experience with prosecuting homicide and capital cases, Ferman said.

“As district attorneys, we serve individual counties, but we are part of one law enforcement community in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Ferman said. “In cases like the murder of Officer Grove, it is important that we share the knowledge, experience and expertise we have across the state to ensure that justice is served for victims of crime.”

Steele, who previously worked for the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office before joining Montgomery County’s office in 1995 and who teaches for the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Institute, volunteered to assist Wagner as co-prosecutor during Johnson’s trial and used vacation days to take part in the high profile case.

The trial played out just weeks after Steele and Montgomery County’s law enforcement community suffered a tragic blow with the death of Plymouth Police Officer Brad Fox, of New Hanover, who was fatally shot in the line of duty Sept. 13, 2012, after investigating a hit-and-run crash and while pursuing the suspect.

As he went to work in Adams County to prosecute Johnson, Steele’s thoughts also were with Fox.

“You recognize the significance on a family, on brothers and sisters in law enforcement and a community and it was very much in my mind throughout all of the proceedings after what we dealt with here with Brad’s murder,” Steele, who also wears a remembrance band in honor of Fox, said with a somber tone in his voice.

Fox was the first Plymouth officer ever to die in the line of duty. Fox, who was killed a day before his 35th birthday, is survived by his wife and two children.

Steele said he got to know Grove’s parents and Grove’s fiancée during the Adams County trial, describing them as “salt of the earth” people who were devastated by Grove’s death.

“As David grew up he spent a lot of time with his father hunting and fishing and had a love for this and he grew up enjoying the outdoors and his dream was to be a wildlife conservation officer,” Steele said. “This was his dream job to do.”

Grove’s parents also are expected to be in Washington when Steele and Wagner are honored. Steele plans to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, on which Grove’s name is inscribed.

“Conservation officers are out there, alone, and by the nature of their jobs and profession, they’re often dealing with armed people, hunters and other people, so there is an element of danger that comes with this job on a daily basis,” Steele said.

Trial evidence showed that Grove stopped a Chevrolet pickup truck, suspecting the two occupants of night-time shooting and deer poaching on a dark and narrow country road, in Freedom Township, Adams County. Johnson and his passenger initially complied with Grove’s directives, exiting and standing with their hands on the truck.

However, testimony revealed, Johnson told his passenger that he “wasn’t going back to jail.” As Grove tried to handcuff Johnson, the man reached for a .45-caliber handgun he had concealed on his person and opened fire on Grove and an intense gun battle ensued, authorities alleged.

Grove returned fire but was fatally wounded as he tried to seek cover behind his patrol car. Johnson and his passenger fled the scene in Johnson’s truck but were apprehended just miles from the murder scene.

Grove was the only wildlife conservation officer killed in the line of duty in 95 years, Ferman said.

“Officer Grove had worked to protect both citizens and wildlife of the Gettysburg area for nearly seven years,” said Ferman, adding his death serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by all branches of law enforcement.

Steele will be wearing that green, wrist band with Grove’s name on it when he receives the honor in Washington and Grove will be on his mind.

“It’s a reminder of the significant dangers that law enforcement officers face every day,” Steele said.

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.